S08.E02: White Knuckle

[jewel21]

When the son of an influential former officer is implicated in a murder, Moore pressures Voight to charge him quickly. The stakes are raised in Atwater's fight against the blue wall after patrol officers stop responding to his team's calls.

Airdate: 11/18/2020

[SuzieQ]

I LOVE ATWATER!!  That's all!

[UnoAgain]

I'm glad we got some time off because this episode got me hot... The only thing that didn't have me throwing a fit was the ending... But between the flimsy attempt at bothsidesism with an uncharacteristically patient Voight... Absolutely no one besides Ruzek even saying anything to Kevin... The teams general apathy to the situation was off-putting.. And in the end Voight wanted to let Kevin brick his career.. Never made detective just to make this go away... Ugh... No followup with Hailey either talking to Kevin or talking about the super... Even platt seemed muted about what was going on.. I mean Adam got shot and they were just going about their business... Smh

[mommalib]

Atwater was  everything tonight, smart, tough, clever etc. I'm glad he didn't break and backdown he showed a lot of character. I love how he sitting in dudes house waiting for him, that was super gangster. Made it clear he was willing to give up everything to take him down. Shout out Ruzek too because he's ride or die with Kev to hell with the rest of them. I'm glad Kev did it his way without Voight being involved.

Edited November 19, 2020 by mommalib

[SuzieQ]

Some unusual humor tonight.

New Supt:  Does this show?

Voight: It does (trying not to look)

New Supt:  Is it see though?

Voight: It is. (still trying not to look)

So funny!

 

 

 

 

[UnoAgain]

2 minutes ago, SuzieQ said:

Some unusual humor tonight.

New Supt:  Does this show?

Voight: It does (trying not to look)

New Supt:  Is it see though?

Voight: It is. (still trying not to look)

So funny!

 

 

 

 

That was funny.. It would be nice if she ends up not being antagonistic... And someone the team can actually use for help.. But her job and the way they do things makes that unlikely.... Unfortunately 

[SuzieQ]

10 minutes ago, UnoAgain said:

That was funny.. It would be nice if she ends up not being antagonistic... And someone the team can actually use for help.. But her job and the way they do things makes that unlikely.... Unfortunately 

Yes!!  She showed a few glimpses of being a decent person tonight so I hope that continues.  But she's really ambitious, so there's that.

[mommalib]

56 minutes ago, UnoAgain said:

That was funny.. It would be nice if she ends up not being antagonistic... And someone the team can actually use for help.. But her job and the way they do things makes that unlikely.... Unfortunately 

I think she might actually be one of the good guys. 

[Guildford]

Yet again Atwater was on his own except for Ruzek. Are they really going to silo this show into two groups. Atwater & Ruzek with a side of Burgess if they remember on one side of the bullpen & Hansel & Gretel on the other? Not only did they not show any concern for Atwater, neither did they bat an eyelid that Ruzek was shot. 

Voight's little speech about not rushing to charge the kid was so disingenuous. He certainly didn't have any concerns about rushing to charge last season with Marcus West. If he had a least acknowledged that they had made that mistake previously it would have landed better, but it felt like it was the writer's ticking a box more than anything else. 

It is a little disappointing that they have rushed through this storyline and it's all resolved in two episodes. So we are to believe that Atwater had drugs planted on him, he's beaten, his house is bugged, Ruzek is shot because Petty PD Patrol again refuses to respond to a call, he confronts Nolan, has it out with Voight, and then finally puts Nolan in his place all in what 48 hours? Yeah, bullshit. The pressure and tension on Kevin and the unit should've been the thread of the season.

For two weeks in a row Burgess pops up to save the day. Getting in between Atwater & the other cop took some gumption. Give me Burgess any day, she's one tough cookie.

I get the feeling that it was Atwater's brother than was supposed to die as teased at the end of last season and they obviously changed their mind but the brother in this felt like a waste. Last we saw Jordan was running off the rails and hating on Atwater, now they are living together & there was no real purpose to him being there. 

Voight flip flopped like a dying fish on the deck of a boat....He's the offer, we'll make this go away...but no don't let them win...I couldn't get a handle on where that was going (perhaps because when Voight speaks now I just tune out, at least he didn't say the word woke) and obviously Kev has just forgiven Voight for calling him a boy scout. 

Oh and the preview....So Voight Jnr has an offer to join the FBI ....please, please, please let that happen. New York FBI office - a repository for Chicago PD's wayward cops.

Her and Halstead must the the two single most boring, personality bereft characters in the #OneChicago universe...sheesh.

[misstwpherecool]

Voight is hindered/handcuffed more with cultural times than a internal affairs investigation and his knew boss let him know that. Even though a hypocrite at times I think he wants to do the right thing. He would've backed him up anyway  but he also knows he crosses certain lines means more than getting away with it. Now Voight has company because now other cops will know Atwater will take it to the next level.

 

[FnkyChkn34]

51 minutes ago, Guildford said:

For two weeks in a row Burgess pops up to save the day. Getting in between Atwater & the other cop took some gumption. Give me Burgess any day, she's one tough cookie.

...

Her and Halstead must the the two single most boring, personality bereft characters in the #OneChicago universe...sheesh.

Sorry, but all Burgess cared about was that recently-shot-in-the-ribs Ruzek got shoved.  She didn't care about Atwater and the other dude fighting.  She ran to Ruzek immediately, because Ruzek was the original one trying to stop the fight.  At least that's how I saw it, I may not have been paying super close attention...

Halstead used to be one of the best characters in the One Chicago universe, in my opinion.  He had the PTSD storyline they could have explored, plus a relationship with his brother on another show.  But since last season, it's like Jesse Lee Soffer got demoted and he's a background character.  The writers no longer even write for him.  I could take or leave Hailey, I have no strong feelings either way, but Halstead needs to be a focus.

That said, did anyone get immediate flashbacks???  Like, this story has been done before!  Jay's partner gets an offer from an FBI task force, and asks Halstead to ask her to stay.  Hello!  Been there, done that.  Poor guy, he's probably sitting there thinking WTF?

EDIT TO ADD:  Two more things...

How on earth did Ruzek bruise that fast?  I mean... that's some skill, and not at all realistic.  Even from getting shot in the vest, he wouldn't develop a purple-yellow bruise like that for days.

And what was with the "bad cop" saying that he didn't want to be doing these things to Atwater, but they had to follow orders?  Um, no, sorry, you don't have to follow orders when they are those kind of orders.  You go to the supervising officer above that guy and call his ass out.  I guess this was a good way to show what is wrong with police in real life too?  But, also, stupid.

Edited November 19, 2020 by FnkyChkn34

[Avabelle]

8 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

That said, did anyone get immediate flashbacks???  Like, this story has been done before!  Jay's partner gets an offer from an FBI task force, and asks Halstead to ask her to stay.  Hello!  Been there, done that.  Poor guy, he's probably sitting there thinking WTF?

I was only thinking that. I assume this ridiculous FBI rehash is just so him and Upton will finally do the deed and complete the transition of the show into Melrose Place. 

[spunky]

Kevin handled that racist perfectly, without involving Voight. Dude was as quiet as a church mouse when he realized that Kevin will take it to the next level if he has to. When did Kim stop being Kevin's best friend? The only person who was truly in his corner was Ruzek.

I'm over this whole Hailey/Jay song and dance.  It's just a rinse and repeat of Linstead  minus the crazy mother.  The new boss seems like she'll get along just fine with Hank. She'll reign him in, while giving him enough leeway to do his job.

Edited November 21, 2020 by spunky

[CoyoteBlue]

I'm kinda glad they aren't trying to keep this level of villainy going all season (Lord knows this show loves its cartoon-level villains), but I do hope they are keeping along that theme. It could be an amazing season if it's about race / police relations and the changing world of policing, especially since you have someone like Voight as the old school struggling with needing to change. It'd be nice to swap out some of the white folk for POC cops to give a little variety to the "sides" - honestly, ANY C would help. 

[Guildford]

On 11/19/2020 at 10:39 PM, FnkyChkn34 said:

Sorry, but all Burgess cared about was that recently-shot-in-the-ribs Ruzek got shoved.  She didn't care about Atwater and the other dude fighting.  She ran to Ruzek immediately, because Ruzek was the original one trying to stop the fight.  At least that's how I saw it, I may not have been paying super close attention...

Halstead used to be one of the best characters in the One Chicago universe, in my opinion.  He had the PTSD storyline they could have explored, plus a relationship with his brother on another show.  But since last season, it's like Jesse Lee Soffer got demoted and he's a background character.  The writers no longer even write for him.  I could take or leave Hailey, I have no strong feelings either way, but Halstead needs to be a focus.

 

Guess we saw Burgess/Atwater/Ruzek scene one differently then, cest le vie. She did get inbetween Atwater & the other dude before checking on Ruzek.

As for Halstead I agree with you completely. All he is now is a prop for Upton, he's literally there to stroke her ego, do her bidding & ask her permission to have an opinion. He's not allowed to talk to or interact or work with any other character. Even as far as Upton throwing temper tantrums in Voight's office if he dares to split them up & good boy Jay just sits there looking confused. If Upton is permanently smirking, he looks like he's continually suffering from digestive issues. Blandstead could and should have more, his PTSD, military service should be explored but instead we get him following his partner around like a lost puppy and saying painfully soppy lines like 'I'd follow you anywhere' 

[Avabelle]

I know Erins gone years and boy do I not miss the repetitive Bunny storylines but god, is Upton just a poor mans Erin. And Upstead Not just a really filtered down chemistry-less version of Lindstead. 

Edited November 21, 2020 by Avabelle

[Jaelyn96]

19 hours ago, Guildford said:

Guess we saw Burgess/Atwater/Ruzek scene one differently then, cest le vie. She did get inbetween Atwater & the other dude before checking on Ruzek.

As for Halstead I agree with you completely. All he is now is a prop for Upton, he's literally there to stroke her ego, do her bidding & ask her permission to have an opinion. He's not allowed to talk to or interact or work with any other character. Even as far as Upton throwing temper tantrums in Voight's office if he dares to split them up & good boy Jay just sits there looking confused. If Upton is permanently smirking, he looks like he's continually suffering from digestive issues. Blandstead could and should have more, his PTSD, military service should be explored but instead we get him following his partner around like a lost puppy and saying painfully soppy lines like 'I'd follow you anywhere' 

I totally agree with you. Whenever he is with Upton, I don’t see any looks of love or whatever other people are seeing. It’s like I want someone to give him immodium or pepto bismal . It’s like he can’t interact with anyone else. 

[WinJet0819]

I didn't realize it, but I do have to agree with people saying that Atwater, with the exception of Ruzek, was pretty much on his own to deal with Nolan and his guys. Yes, there's more scrutiny with what they can do now, but Voight's hand-off approach was very off-putting. He's done whatever it takes to get other members of his team protected. But the only deal Voight can work out with Nolan is to have Kevin dent his career with a complaint beef, which will keep him from making Detective. That's no deal. He's having to tank his career simply for telling the truth. And almost total apathy from Kim, Jay and Hailey, even after Ruzek got shot directly because no patrol cops responded. Even Trudy was hands-off.

I loved the ending, though. Kevin was a boss. He let Nolan know he was not afraid to take this to the next level if they kept coming after him. Another statement ending from Kevin Atwater.

[Guildford]

4 hours ago, WinJet0819 said:

I didn't realize it, but I do have to agree with people saying that Atwater, with the exception of Ruzek, was pretty much on his own to deal with Nolan and his guys. Yes, there's more scrutiny with what they can do now, but Voight's hand-off approach was very off-putting. He's done whatever it takes to get other members of his team protected. But the only deal Voight can work out with Nolan is to have Kevin dent his career with a complaint beef, which will keep him from making Detective. That's no deal. He's having to tank his career simply for telling the truth. And almost total apathy from Kim, Jay and Hailey, even after Ruzek got shot directly because no patrol cops responded. Even Trudy was hands-off.

I loved the ending, though. Kevin was a boss. He let Nolan know he was not afraid to take this to the next level if they kept coming after him. Another statement ending from Kevin Atwater.

Gah, it's even more obvious when you point it out like that. Upton plants evidence to cover up her house mates deleting of evidence & obstruction of justice....after already being on Voight's radar for facilitating Darrius Walker's murder and gets rewarded with a little trip to the FBI which is now leading to a promotion job offer....yet Atwater tells the truth about racist cops & Voight's solution is to brick his career. 

Couple that with fact we are eight seasons in and he is still yet to have any real romantic storyline..yet everyone else, including Upton who's been there three years, are on their second in house romance.

[greyhorse]

On 11/18/2020 at 8:55 PM, SuzieQ said:

Some unusual humor tonight.

New Supt:  Does this show?

Voight: It does (trying not to look)

New Supt:  Is it see though?

Voight: It is. (still trying not to look)

So funny!

 

 

 

 

Presumably she spilled coffee on her blouse?  I couldn't tell.  It seemed like it was water if she was asking if see through?  Either way, it was pretty funny.

Wasn't Hailey on loan to SVU at the end of last season?  Was there anything said in episode 1 about it and how she is back?  I guess I missed it and just remembered this episode that she had left.

Atwater was all types of bada$$ at the end.  Loved his calm deliberate demeanor and taking control of the situation.  Loved seeing that stupid BoschSecurityGuard dude get put in his place.  I hope we see him kowtowing to Atwater next time they interact.

[catsitter]

I had just said to my OH that at this point in the previous "beef with the patrol" plot, they called for backup and didn't get it, when exactly the same happened this time round. I guess we are supposed to have forgotten about that whole plot, but it wasn't very long ago.